Large-scale networks and facilities typically include assets of a variety of types which are placed at a variety of locations. For example, a network that is maintained by a telecommunications provider or facility may include networking equipment, such as patch panels, routers, or other networking equipment, in a single rack, in different racks, and across different rooms, buildings, or other locations. Each of these network assets may in turn also include other assets, such as available or occupied network jacks or other network connections usable to route signals among network devices.
Often, a technician is required to service network assets, for example by configuring network connections at a field location. Often, that servicing requires the technician to disconnect and reconnect networking cables, or to otherwise locate, identify and service specific network jack locations or other network assets. When a technician modifies a configuration of equipment (e.g., patch panels) in data centers or splitter nodes in outside environments, it is important to ensure that the technician has located the correct piece of equipment. If the technician identifies the wrong asset for configuration, or does not know how to modify the asset as needed, costly mistakes can happen.
Currently, technicians are required to rely on labeling of network assets, and must correlate those networking locations to change networking configurations, or to otherwise service network assets. When relying on such labeling, it is not uncommon for the technician to incorrectly configure network assets, for example by inserting a plug into the incorrect jack of a patch panel, thereby providing erroneous routing, and resulting in such costly mistakes.
In other types of facilities or circumstances where locations of components of a system are generally constant but of a high number, similar challenges apply. For example, when servicing a vehicle or other types of electronic or mechanical equipment having a large number of possible components that are required to be accessed and adjusted, it can be difficult to determine which components are interconnected, and what electrical components (e.g., fuses, breakers, etc.) are associated with different electrical and/or mechanical subsystems.
Still further difficulties exist in assessing and locating assets, in particular because in many cases maps or networking diagrams are required, which involve cross-referencing paper or electronic diagrams to real-world asset locations. This typically complicates the location and maintenance process, both because of the cross-referencing required and the fact that a technician's hands are typically occupied with maintenance services. Still further, identification and location of such assets, particularly those kept indoors at networking facilities, can be difficult absent such physical or electronic diagrams, since typically a large number of networking or computing assets are housed in a common location (and are difficult to distinguish from one another).
Accordingly, improvements in tracking of assets, including racks, panels, and even networking connections are desirable.